This is a really nice find. I can tell you a little about the mill just from the items in the video. First, the steel water wheel is a Fitz style wheel that popular in the 1900-1920s. Also, this mill ran French burr stones and a roller mill set up. The first machine you found is the roller mill. The roller mill was used for soft grains like corn, the mill stones were used for hard grains like wheat. Also, the wood swinging jib/crane was used to lift the top stone(runner) off of the base stone. The miller had to sharpen the stones from time to time to keep them sharp. To check level of the stones the miller had to keep his nose to the grind stone. Hence the term. I learned all of this working as an archaeologist for the Forest Service and repairing similar mills in Missouri.
Thank you so much for that amazing informationif I was to find something like that out exploring in the woods I would be absolutely ape nuts as I love antiques and I love American history I would not leave there
Charred wood post: Posts that were put into the ground were charred to avoid rot. A charred post that touches the ground decays much slower (ie pre-pressure lumber treatment)
It's so good to hear the excitement and reverence in your voices guys' If there were more people like you guys in the world it would be a much better place. What's left of America's history, after so much has been trashed for profit, really needs to be saved.
This is how some men made their living and fed their families. That mill took care of a lot of people. Provided food and shelter. You have to look at it and give it the respect it deserves. Thank you for sharing.
I grew up in Georgia and my mom and dad loved to do exactly what you are doing. We often found buildings that had been left. There was a waterwheel being operated by an older gentleman - this would have been in the late 1960s. He gave my sister and me an apple and my mom was gifted a little flour. It wasn't a commercial operation. I feel that this was likely the place you have stumbled upon...it was a very similar set-up. What a trip! Thank you!
My grandfather made the leather drive belts for the old flat pulleys mostly for cotton mills. My great uncle was a care taker of one. All the machines were powered from a single source and distributed over head by belts and pulleys. A belt would hang down to a machine to operate it. You tightened the belt with another moveable pulley. When ever thing was moving I would think it was quite dangerous. There were no shields. The belts were oiled regularly. They lasted up to twenty years. The leather they used had to be flawless. It was imported from England as they didn't use barbed wire. The largest belt he made was about 40 ft long 3 wide and 2 inches thick if my memory serves right. I explored an abandoned one in my teens. It was a grist mill. It was interesting as it had cable cars connecting it to the highway. That was probably put in later because the highway wasn't built until the depression.
Having operated an 1817 overshot grist mill in Indiana for our DNR, at a state park, as well as, an 1824 water powered saw mill... this is exciting. Hopefully, it can be restored and made operational. The state should step in, or a local conservatory group raise the funds. This is important “history worth remembering”.
Laura in Bookland: indeed Spring Mill. Loved that job, except the property manager had an extramarital affair with the gardener, promoted to village coordinator, and their management style became nothing more than an effort to coverup their indiscretion.
Laura in Bookland I'm going to be in Mitchell in a fews weeks for a big auction. I knew Spring Mill sounded familiar. I've been looking for property near Hoosier National Forest for about a year now. I'd really like to live near Nashville in brown county but its a bit too far.
This is amazing! When I was in college having never seen one, I painted a water mill for my father whose father had owned & operated such a mill. I just imagined what it might look like. It was just like your view on approach but I made the building of stone instead of a frame building. It is still my favorite painting. Thank you for confirming my imagination!
I just talked to a man from Plymouth,Connecticut who purchased a 1800’s house with barn and 3 acres of land . When he found underneath the house was boarded up he removed the boarding and to his surprise there was and active 20’ waterwheel complete with flowing brook and mechanical diversion levers to turn the wheel on and off. He found it on Craigslist for back taxes of only $7,800..
Sidestep Adventures Hey I’m going through the big (D) and I’m looking in Western North Carolina, where is this location or just State I’m not looking for it just curious
Must have had a dang good roof for the inside to be in such good shape. The mill wheel is in fantastic shape, at least the part shown. Would be great to see it restored.
Just now got this one and it's 2 years old. But I can say this.. these old 'Grist Mills' are all over the country. They are amazing.. scattered all over the Southern US. Congrats on finding one.
Unfortunately, most of these went out use by the mid 1960s from what I've seen, and that's a lot time idle, but this mill looks really good. In NC, where I'm from, these mills, like old houses, are destroyed as quickly as land developers can arrange the demolition. You are doing all of this so well and I hope GA folks appreciate your efforts as much as I do
SUPER COOL! You all are braver souls than I. This is even more interesting - and certainly more picturesque - than exploring Detroit-type ruins. Hard to believe something like "Barnwood Builders" hasn't come knockin'.
I love grist mills and it would be nice to see this under the control of Westville. Also, imagine if as much of the food as possible that was bought on food stamps was made using non-electrical technology like this. Imagine if children training to be electrical engineers began by learning to build grist mills like this.
That is a good work that you guys are doing. The state should pay you for collecting historical evidence like that. The mill could have been there sense the 1800's.
Isn't that the most awesome thing to find. Wow is that the most amazing thing you can just see people walking around there Motor Wheel spinning. You guys have so much fun
What an awesome find. We have a restored grist mill in a historical village that's near here. It was built in 1826, but the new owner in the 1870s had the water wheel replaced with a water turbine, which was high tech for the day.
@@wendystjean4678 No, it's the grist mill in the historical village of Batsto. I live about 8 1/2 miles from it. It's in Burlington County, near the Atlantic County line.
Fantastic. All I ever find is the stone foundations around here. Folks come to play around them all their lives and most never even realized there had been water mills here once, and only notice the segments of man made stone wall sidings around them when their attention is drawn to it.
Brian Mallard? He always cracks me up wout ever doing anything!😄 I think it's that he's really into the adventure, but in a covert/super chill kinda way!!!😄 GREAT VID!👍👍👍
That mill is not completely forgotten. Somebody has replaced the foundation beam with 2x8 boards that's why the siding is off on the wheel side of the mill.
I had wondered if someone had started to disassemble the structure for one reason or another. Great find and all to often in North America 'history' is deemed inconvenient by developers, land owners and governments. It's to bad we don't have a more European approach to these things. There is a reason why you can see something several, being high single digits or more, hundred years old over there.
WOW!!! Any update on this amazing place? It really needs to be a museum so students can visit and see how life was before cell phones. Love the vid. Thanks so much for sharing!!
There is one similar to this on Snow road just off state highway 29 going into Anderson, SC. years ago it was still visible from the road, but now you cant even see it for the underbrush. It I know at one time was intact. I don't know if it has since been pillaged. Great video
I belong to SPOOM, the Society for the Preservation Of Old Mills, and I urge you NOT to reveal the location of this mill. It would be stripped bare in no time. If you pm me on FB (steve.childers) I can put you in touch with the local chapter of SPOOM.
That was amazing. I bet with that mill, it was built after the war, used till automation took over the production of milled goods. They left, walked away and that building stands as a testimonial to the past. And luckily not found by hooligans who would wreck the place. Maybe bring it to the attention of the historical society and have them protect the site.
Great old mill! I just hope it's still there. My grandfather ran one in L. A. (Lower Alabama). Sadly it was stripped. Only the stone wheeles remain. Hopefully as one of the guys in the video said, maybe it could find it's way to Westville. A living history town located south of Cokumbus, Georgia. "Y'all come now. Yo hear"!
Love watching these adventure videos. I been wanting to do this in the surrounding areas of Kansas city,mo. Reminds me being back home in Tacoma,WA. Used to hike around the Mt. Rainier, Better shape back in the 80s. I was in the boy scouts.
You should check out the working mill in Arkansas called the War Eagle Mill! It's i the Ozarks and they still grind grain there. It's a beautiful drive especially in the fall and what a great piece of history. It would sure be great if this one was restored before it's stolen away by time or scavengers!
I was very interested in your visit to the old Grist Mill. My Great Great Grandfather owned a Grist Mill named Eelbeck Mill..it was located on the property that the US Army bought from the Plantation owners in the Eelbeck area for Fort Benning. Many of my family Ancestors are buried in small scattered Cemeteries around the Benning Reservation. My Ancestor was named Henry J Eelbeck. I have been to Family Reunions near the place where the Mill was located and close to the Race....where the mill wheel was located. Before Benning bought that property there were cottages located out there that we could visit and the Mill was still a working mill..I was 11 years old then. Since 911 getting to Benning has been difficult unless you are Military or with someone who is Military and you have to make plans to have a Guide. Another Ancestor buried in the Fort Benning property is my Revolutionary War Ancestor John O’Quin......if you have the time.....visiting those places is quite interesting. I enjoy watching all your Visits to areas in and around Columbus! I lived in Columbus for many years. And am proud of my Family History before Fort Benning and now!!!!!
Grist Mills were a very important and vibrant source for the community. Lots of farmers would bring their goods to the gristmill and pay to have it ground to flour or meal. My ancestors owned one in Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Very important for farmers
Wow, such an awesome discovery! Where is this one located? We have a working grist mill here in Oak ridge, NC called the Old Guilford Mill. I'd LOVE to see this one restored in some way.
4:20 I'm saying millstone, millstone, millstone !!! My grandfather had a small mill in the late 1800's. There's still a stone left from those days. Along with a few other parts of the mill ! Very, very cool guys !!
This is a really nice find. I can tell you a little about the mill just from the items in the video. First, the steel water wheel is a Fitz style wheel that popular in the 1900-1920s. Also, this mill ran French burr stones and a roller mill set up. The first machine you found is the roller mill. The roller mill was used for soft grains like corn, the mill stones were used for hard grains like wheat. Also, the wood swinging jib/crane was used to lift the top stone(runner) off of the base stone. The miller had to sharpen the stones from time to time to keep them sharp. To check level of the stones the miller had to keep his nose to the grind stone. Hence the term. I learned all of this working as an archaeologist for the Forest Service and repairing similar mills in Missouri.
Thanks very much for posting this information!
Cool
will macneill wow! Cool info! Thanks
It's also an 'overshot' wheel. I would think that pile of rocks next to it probably provided the base for the water-chute.
Thank you so much for that amazing informationif I was to find something like that out exploring in the woods I would be absolutely ape nuts as I love antiques and I love American history I would not leave there
Charred wood post: Posts that were put into the ground were charred to avoid rot. A charred post that touches the ground decays much slower (ie pre-pressure lumber treatment)
You guys are adorable. Like little boys that found a fort. 😂❤️
It's so good to hear the excitement and reverence in your voices guys' If there were more people like you guys in the world it would be a much better place. What's left of America's history, after so much has been trashed for profit, really needs to be saved.
This is hands down the coolest thing I have ever seen anyone find in the woods! What a time capsule
From watching survival videos I have learned that support wood in older times was burned on the outside to make it waterproof.
This is how some men made their living and fed their families.
That mill took care of a lot of people. Provided food and shelter.
You have to look at it and give it the respect it deserves.
Thank you for sharing.
Absolutely. I wish I had filmed this a bit better, this was back before I knew what I was doing haha. But you put it exactly right.
@@AdventuresIntoHistory how about a remake? :)
I grew up in Georgia and my mom and dad loved to do exactly what you are doing. We often found buildings that had been left. There was a waterwheel being operated by an older gentleman - this would have been in the late 1960s. He gave my sister and me an apple and my mom was gifted a little flour. It wasn't a commercial operation. I feel that this was likely the place you have stumbled upon...it was a very similar set-up. What a trip! Thank you!
My grandfather made the leather drive belts for the old flat pulleys mostly for cotton mills. My great uncle was a care taker of one. All the machines were powered from a single source and distributed over head by belts and pulleys. A belt would hang down to a machine to operate it. You tightened the belt with another moveable pulley. When ever thing was moving I would think it was quite dangerous. There were no shields. The belts were oiled regularly. They lasted up to twenty years. The leather they used had to be flawless. It was imported from England as they didn't use barbed wire. The largest belt he made was about 40 ft long 3 wide and 2 inches thick if my memory serves right. I explored an abandoned one in my teens. It was a grist mill. It was interesting as it had cable cars connecting it to the highway. That was probably put in later because the highway wasn't built until the depression.
That's amazing information! Thank you!❤
Having operated an 1817 overshot grist mill in Indiana for our DNR, at a state park, as well as, an 1824 water powered saw mill... this is exciting. Hopefully, it can be restored and made operational. The state should step in, or a local conservatory group raise the funds. This is important “history worth remembering”.
Doug Alexander I think so too. The land is for sale, maybe that will happen. Often times in these parts it unfortunately does not.
Spring Mill perhaps?
Laura in Bookland: indeed Spring Mill. Loved that job, except the property manager had an extramarital affair with the gardener, promoted to village coordinator, and their management style became nothing more than an effort to coverup their indiscretion.
@@dougalexander7204 Oh my. That is unfortunate. We have a camping trip/family reunion there every year. Very pretty park.
Laura in Bookland I'm going to be in Mitchell in a fews weeks for a big auction. I knew Spring Mill sounded familiar. I've been looking for property near Hoosier National Forest for about a year now. I'd really like to live near Nashville in brown county but its a bit too far.
This is an awesome discovery.......very interesting.....a real piece of history.........I hope that somehow it can be saved!
should be turned into a museum, we have places like that in the UK that have been saved and turned into living history.
There is an actual working mill in Missouri that sells goods from the flour they grind. It is right on the river.
There is or was a working mill, in the mountains of North Georgia. Three name is Nora Mill, I think its at Sautee. You can buy stone ground corn mill.
This is amazing! When I was in college having never seen one, I painted a water mill for my father whose father had owned & operated such a mill. I just imagined what it might look like. It was just like your view on approach but I made the building of stone instead of a frame building. It is still my favorite painting.
Thank you for confirming my imagination!
I just talked to a man from Plymouth,Connecticut who purchased a 1800’s house with barn and 3 acres of land . When he found underneath the house was boarded up he removed the boarding and to his surprise there was and active 20’ waterwheel complete with flowing brook and mechanical diversion levers to turn the wheel on and off. He found it on Craigslist for back taxes of only $7,800..
Johny Doe wow!
Sidestep Adventures Hey I’m going through the big (D) and I’m looking in Western North Carolina, where is this location or just State I’m not looking for it just curious
Almost all of my videos are either Georgia or Alabama. 😉
@@AdventuresIntoHistory
Keep on looking,
Most of these things are in the south, necessity is the mother of invention,
Great find! Someone should preserve this
2019 has it been restored
I hope so
Love it
Much love
Doubt it. Lots of old mills in America just like this there are 2 abandoned mills bear my house
Must have had a dang good roof for the inside to be in such good shape. The mill wheel is in fantastic shape, at least the part shown. Would be great to see it restored.
Just now got this one and it's 2 years old. But I can say this.. these old 'Grist Mills' are all over the country. They are amazing.. scattered all over the Southern US. Congrats on finding one.
There is one in Kemper Mississippi that has been in operation since 1789. Still going I buy my corn there to make my shine. We love it
AWESOME vid! Super cool find, thank you for bringing us along!! 😀💓👍
Awesome, The condition is so good makes you think it may have been in operation in the 40's, 50's or maybe even in the 60's
I think you’re right.
This should be a museum. A forgotten piece of America's past.
Protect and restore!
Unfortunately, most of these went out use by the mid 1960s from what I've seen, and that's a lot time idle, but this mill looks really good. In NC, where I'm from, these mills, like old houses, are destroyed as quickly as land developers can arrange the demolition. You are doing all of this so well and I hope GA folks appreciate your efforts as much as I do
Linney Mill in Union Grove NC is still in use
Robert always goes where I would love to go…❤️❤️❤️
SUPER COOL! You all are braver souls than I. This is even more interesting - and certainly more picturesque - than exploring Detroit-type ruins. Hard to believe something like "Barnwood Builders" hasn't come knockin'.
I love grist mills and it would be nice to see this under the control of Westville. Also, imagine if as much of the food as possible that was bought on food stamps was made using non-electrical technology like this. Imagine if children training to be electrical engineers began by learning to build grist mills like this.
That was a great find !!! Great job !!
Y'all are so excited 🤣, I've never heard y'all voices so clear and high before. 🖤
The early days!
Yep, I'd have to agree: this is the coolest thing you'ns have found in your rambles.
Absolutely wonderful ! Thank you 🙏🏽
I just love this old mill you found. I hope no vandles find this treasure.
That is a good work that you guys are doing. The state should pay you for collecting historical evidence like that. The mill could have been there sense the 1800's.
Thanks for explaining what happened to the river..
Awesome any update on this mill, or have you found any historical information? Do you know if there is any interest in restoring this mill?
What an awesome find. I absolutely enjoyed this video
Isn't that the most awesome thing to find. Wow is that the most amazing thing you can just see people walking around there Motor Wheel spinning. You guys have so much fun
What an awesome find.
We have a restored grist mill in a historical village that's near here. It was built in 1826, but the new owner in the 1870s had the water wheel replaced with a water turbine, which was high tech for the day.
Are you talking about the Red Mill in Clinton, NJ?
@@wendystjean4678 No, it's the grist mill in the historical village of Batsto. I live about 8 1/2 miles from it. It's in Burlington County, near the Atlantic County line.
Very intesting place !!!! thanks for the tour!!!
This mill is absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful find. Congratulations 👋👋👋👋
fantastic fine. its great to see an old mill of any kind. you guys are great.
That is real history. Don't tell the location otherwise it can be vandalized.
Fantastic. All I ever find is the stone foundations around here. Folks come to play around them all their lives and most never even realized there had been water mills here once, and only notice the segments of man made stone wall sidings around them when their attention is drawn to it.
Absolutely amazing find!!! Very exciting!
Thank you so very much for exploring!
Grind the grain.....to feed the still....to feed the......thirsty masses! Nice find.
What a hidden gem!!!!!
Brian Mallard? He always cracks me up wout ever doing anything!😄 I think it's that he's really into the adventure, but in a covert/super chill kinda way!!!😄
GREAT VID!👍👍👍
lol yep that’s Brian!
That mill is not completely forgotten. Somebody has replaced the foundation beam with 2x8 boards that's why the siding is off on the wheel side of the mill.
yep,new weather boards stacked ready to go on side of building,reakon the owner will be pissed-off at them poking around his property
c walt looked like that to me too!
I had wondered if someone had started to disassemble the structure for one reason or another. Great find and all to often in North America 'history' is deemed inconvenient by developers, land owners and governments.
It's to bad we don't have a more European approach to these things. There is a reason why you can see something several, being high single digits or more, hundred years old over there.
Hope your right. Looks like somebody has been salvaging the siding. Didnt see any new boards
WOW!!! Any update on this amazing place? It really needs to be a museum so students
can visit and see how life was before cell phones. Love the vid. Thanks so much for sharing!!
That was a great tour!!!!!
There is one similar to this on Snow road just off state highway 29 going into Anderson, SC. years ago it was still visible from the road, but now you cant even see it for the underbrush. It I know at one time was intact. I don't know if it has since been pillaged. Great video
I belong to SPOOM, the Society for the Preservation Of Old Mills, and I urge you NOT to reveal the location of this mill. It would be stripped bare in no time. If you pm me on FB (steve.childers) I can put you in touch with the local chapter of SPOOM.
Yeah, that’s rule number one for me and how I run the channel... never reveal the location to protect from just that.
Lol spoom fantastic .
@@AdventuresIntoHistory you guys know if anything was ever done with the place Restoration etc etc I'd love to know thanks
Amazing find thanks for sharing
William Harrison thanks!
I recognized that old town..... the one you closed out video with.... I love that area
I used to go through there years ago in the 70's,80's,90's when I was trucking...... yup
I agree. It would be nice if the old mill was restored. It would be nice tourists and take students to for educational purposes.
Awesome and cool abandoned mill video!
Very good man!
What I wouldn't give to have been there with you when you found this!!
Hey guys love this video from NC.
Kaylin Hudson is this North Carolina if so what town and road
That was amazing. I bet with that mill, it was built after the war, used till automation took over the production of milled goods. They left, walked away and that building stands as a testimonial to the past. And luckily not found by hooligans who would wreck the place. Maybe bring it to the attention of the historical society and have them protect the site.
This ís phenomenal to find this mill in such pristine shape. Just BEAUTIFUL!
What a Great find.
Great old mill! I just hope it's still there. My grandfather ran one in L. A. (Lower Alabama). Sadly it was stripped. Only the stone wheeles remain. Hopefully as one of the guys in the video said, maybe it could find it's way to Westville. A living history town located south of Cokumbus, Georgia. "Y'all come now. Yo hear"!
Amazing. You guys truly have a dream job
I would love to know the history behind this mill and why it was left this way.
Sidestep might have been the first to find it since it was stopped but the earth around it just never took it over
I'm designing a Water Mill for my game right now, & this was exactly what I needed to see. Very cool find! Thanks for sharing.
Whew this is an old one! Glad it could help tho!
If ever out in Saguache Colorado, there is a beautiful old grist mill built in 1873. Completely in tact with all machinery. Unbelievable condition
Uncle Drew wow! I’ll be sure to check it out if I ever am!
One of the best places yet to witness.
Love watching these adventure videos. I been wanting to do this in the surrounding areas of Kansas city,mo. Reminds me being back home in Tacoma,WA. Used to hike around the Mt. Rainier, Better shape back in the 80s. I was in the boy scouts.
You should check out the working mill in Arkansas called the War Eagle Mill! It's i the Ozarks and they still grind grain there. It's a beautiful drive especially in the fall and what a great piece of history. It would sure be great if this one was restored before it's stolen away by time or scavengers!
Awesome find
The subtle comments you guys make to each other always have me in stitches :'D. "and that's the last we saw of old Rob" hahahha!
Your like kids in a candy store so excited to be where you are. Great job.
Very cool water mill it should be saved to the next Generations keep the good work up
Great find
Nice find !!
Beautiful history.
Your videos are great! 🙂
You always have to watch out for floors, but this building is still solid!
Wow. I hope something can be done with it before scavenger discover it.
U find the coolest places
That is really cool!!
Joel Hill thanks! I thought it was too!
Nice to see things like this in USA on the same slot is our local mill at sturminster Newton in Dorset in UK well done guy's nice find
Would be nice to move it to a historical area where they have other old buildings for people to tour.
Love the mil
Amazing find!!! Thanks for posting.
Hit the jackpot guys!!!
Haaaaaaaaaaa 'and that's the last we saw of old Rob!"
I was very interested in your visit to the old Grist Mill. My Great Great Grandfather owned a Grist Mill named Eelbeck Mill..it was located on the property that the US Army bought from the Plantation owners in the Eelbeck area for Fort Benning. Many of my family Ancestors are buried in small scattered Cemeteries around the Benning Reservation. My Ancestor was named Henry J Eelbeck. I have been to Family Reunions near the place where the Mill was located and close to the Race....where the mill wheel was located. Before Benning bought that property there were cottages located out there that we could visit and the Mill was still a working mill..I was 11 years old then. Since 911 getting to Benning has been difficult unless you are Military or with someone who is Military and you have to make plans to have a Guide.
Another Ancestor buried in the Fort Benning property is my Revolutionary War Ancestor John O’Quin......if you have the time.....visiting those places is quite interesting. I enjoy watching all your Visits to areas in and around Columbus! I lived in Columbus for many years. And am proud of my Family History before Fort Benning and now!!!!!
I have been wanting to check out some of those cemeteries on Fort Benning
Awesome!!!!!!!!!!
Grist Mills were a very important and vibrant source for the community. Lots of farmers would bring their goods to the gristmill and pay to have it ground to flour or meal. My ancestors owned one in Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Very important for farmers
Cool that would be nice to see.
Great video, Which I could see this in person.
Awesome place the history
And if the wall could talk.👍♥️😀
Wow, such an awesome discovery! Where is this one located? We have a working grist mill here in Oak ridge, NC called the Old Guilford Mill. I'd LOVE to see this one restored in some way.
I love walking in the woods
4:20 I'm saying millstone, millstone, millstone !!! My grandfather had a small mill in the late 1800's. There's still a stone left from those days. Along with a few other parts of the mill ! Very, very cool guys !!
They would char wood post to preserve them. Good find guys.
Really awesome place what a gem needs saved
That’s an undershot wheel! Cool!